186 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



December 23, 1897. 



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Dlustration No. 2. System used for packing plants in pots when slatted system is used. 



will be "ready'' for the next customer. 

 Some stock you can pick out as they 

 come, and some must be selected; like 

 orchids and specimen palms. Perfect 

 plants are what your customer wants. 

 His customers are critical, and he must 

 necessaril}' be so also. Start your orders 

 on the left side of the left bench, and 

 work down. When I was an apprentice 

 my employer used to drill it into me to 

 start from the left; it was the right way, 

 he said. When you write or walk you 

 start left, and the sun goes down from 

 left to right; plants set on benches should 

 always he started that way. Orders should 

 be separated by boards, and a slip or tag 

 with purchaser's name attached. 



Your order is now on the bench, and 

 your order will read "in'' or "out of 

 pots." If "out of pots," set your men to 

 work knocking out and wrapping, tak- 

 ing off the "shoulders" of the "ball." 

 If the weather is fairly mild, wrap the 

 ball and tie as in illustration No. i. If 

 cold, use paper for wrapping (whether the 

 weather is freezing or otherwise, deter- 

 mining the thickness), as in illustration 

 No. 2. The excelsior seen in this illus- 

 tration is used when plants are packed in 

 pots. Some firms use it either way, but 

 it seems unnecessarj- to me. 



Your order being ready to "box up," 

 you place your plants in rows. We will 



say they are 6-inch pots, and 3'ou are 

 going to "slat" them in (see illustration 

 No. 3.) If '.'out of pots," and they have 

 been reduced, put seven in a row; this 

 will give your box inside a measurement 

 of three feet. Next, take the height of 

 your plants; if three feet high, and you 

 want to make two layers each end, a box 

 five feet long will do; 112 such plants 

 would require a depth of two feet. This 

 is but an example, and when mixed sizes 

 are packed more computation is neces- 

 sary; but it "conies easy" when you be- 

 come expert, and an experienced man can 

 tell at a glance what size box is required. 

 Your plants measured and your box 

 selected or made, you line it according 

 to weather. Don't stint. Old newspaper, 

 bought by the ton, is verj- cheap, and a 

 few extra sheets will save you a big kick, 

 and maybe a "replace," or your cus- 

 tomer. The slats, 1x2, or heavier if 

 necessar}', should be sawn into lengths, 

 and used as in illustrations 3 and 4. 

 Pack tight; do not leave any room to slip 

 or budge. Drive your nails in three- 

 fourths way first, then, with your helper, 

 hammer in both sides at once; this seems 

 unreasonable, but is necessary, as experi- 

 ence will teach you. Close in your 

 paper, and put on lid, and mark im- 

 mediately, or possibly you may forget 

 whose order it is. Thi§ i§ the slatted 



system, which can be enlarged on with 

 small ferns and small palms, etc., by 

 making four distinct sets of layers, 

 "slatted" as ill the foregoing. 



The "upright" system, as seen in illus- 

 tration 5, is simpler, and is better for 

 short distances perhaps. Many freight 

 agents will not, however, take this under 

 the "twenty' per cent less" clause applied 

 to plants "properly boxed and closed," 

 though, when finished, it appears as in 

 illustration 6. This box contains twelve 

 Adiantum Farleyen,se, 7-inch pots, "in 

 pots." When plants are shipped in pots 

 the measurement should be increased, 

 good allowance being made for the excel- 

 sior packing. ."V slat between each row 

 above the box will hold them in place. 

 This box should be at least 36x28 inches 

 in.side measurement, A fair amount of 

 room should be given; this will save your 

 pots, or they will l>e broken in transit. 

 .\ slight scantling should be u.sed as seen 

 to protect tops. Handles to }'Our boxes 

 will also insure better treatment from the 

 expressmen, and will counteract a little 

 of the "dumping" and "soniersaultiiig" 

 of our mutual enemy, though he is not so 

 bad as painted. 



In packing palms this way you can do 

 a little "piling:," if done judiciously. 



1 



Illustration No. 3, System of "slatted" 

 packing, first layer. 



